As a way to show the community that it cares, Barnum School in Taunton observed World Autism Awareness Day on April 2.

Teachers and some students at the preschool wore blue shirts and stickers as part of the “Light It Up Blue” campaign, promoted by the Autism Speaks advocacy group. For Barnum, the awareness day carries an extra special meaning, because the school has two classes of autistic children.

“What we like to do is to make more of the surrounding community aware about this issue,” said Janet Belanger, the principal of Barnum School. “We support our children with every diagnosis. Especially during Autism Awareness Month in April, we are working very hard to increase the public’s perception on the importance of diagnosing autism early and providing intervention.”

Cassy Villalta, an applied behavioral analysis specialist at Barnum, said it’s important to shine a light on autism because, according, statistics from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 88 children are now diagnosed with the developmental disorder. Villalta, wearing a “Keep Calm and Shine On” T-shirt, said the number of children being diagnosed with autism has sharply increased over the years.

“This is an excellent way to get the kids involved,” Villalta said. “I don’t know that the kids, at this age, if they totally understand it, but we tell them it’s just about how everybody is able to be friends with anybody, and to support anybody. Just because some other kids might have some differences, they can still be friends and they are still be the same human being they are.”

Tuesday was the first time that Barnum School made efforts to observe World Autism Awareness Day, Villalta said.

“We hope to keep it a tradition now at Barnum and get everyone on board with it,” Villalta said.

Barnum was able to raise more than $200 to be donated to the Autism Speaks organization, and to the upcoming Walk for Autism in Taunton.

Amanda Emard, a special education teacher at Barnum, said she was glad the school was observing World Autism Awareness Day.

“I think it’s phenomenal,” Emard said. “As we were passing out all the stickers to the children, we told them, ‘Do you support your special friends?’ All of them said, ‘Yes, I support them.’ This is just making them aware that no matter what, we accept them and we are always kind and caring to all of our friends. It’s great to have people aware of it because autism is starting to happen a lot more. … They may not understand the whole thing. But it’s just to help them know the caring piece to it. They are very happy to be a part of this.”